Star Wars creator George Lucas has delivered a number of meaningful quotes over the years, but these 10 are the very best. Ironically, George Lucas has been highly scrutinized for (and admitted to) struggling with dialogue throughout Star Wars movies and TV shows. The Star Wars prequel trilogy specifically received harsh criticism for its dialogue, and they were at first even perceived as some of Star Wars’ worst movies.

Despite these issues with dialogue, George Lucas has proven himself to be incredibly profound time and again. Not only when speaking about Star Wars, but also when reflecting upon his own journey and applying the messages and morals of the franchise to real life, George Lucas has offered some truly enlightening insights. Of his many quotes from the franchise’s nearly five decades, these 10 have the most impact.

10

“The Best Way To Pursue Happiness Is To Help Other People”

George Lucas’ Philosophy Is Clear In The Jedi Way

The goal of the Jedi is to be selfless and serve others, which is clearly aligned with George Lucas’ personal philosophy. In a 1989 Academy of Achievement interview, Lucas said, “The best way to pursue happiness is to help other people.” In addition to being a lovely statement, the quote bears significance, especially in the context of the message of Star Wars.

Yes, the galaxy far, far away is filled with stunning lightsaber battles and compelling villains, but underlying all of that is the intention for Star Wars to act as a lesson. Characters like Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi are meant to demonstrate how a person ought to be: brave, selfless, and caring. That Lucas believes the key to happiness is helping others makes perfect sense; after all, that is effectively what being a Jedi is meant to be about.

9

“One Of The Basic Concepts Of Human Nature Is Personal Responsibility”

Responsibility For One’s Actions Is A Core Theme In Star Wars

Posted by kershed on X, yet another of George Lucas’ core philosophies is evidently the importance of personal responsibility. Specifically, Lucas highlighted personal responsibility as “one of the basic concepts of human nature.” In a sense, this is the very story of Darth Vader, especially in Return of the Jedi.

In A New Hope, Darth Vader is little more than a faceless, terrifying villain willing to kill countless people to maintain his power. However, his character is developed beautifully over the original three movies, until he is finally revealed to be a weakened, regretful man in Return of the Jedi. In the end, Vader needed to take on precisely this personal responsibility, coming to terms with all he had done and destroying Palpatine in an effort to undo at least part of the serious harm he had caused.

8

“Pleasure Is Fun, It’s Great, But You Can’t Keep it Going Forever”

This Is The Lesson Of The Sith

While it may be odd to think about one of Star Wars’ most powerful Sith contemplating issues such as personal responsibility, in truth, the Sith are meant to act as a lesson, if not a warning, for viewers. In fact, in a video posted by Colorado Flier on YouTube, George Lucas explained the pitfalls of pleasure and constantly seeking more, specifically tying that problem to the demise of the Sith. Of the difference between joy and pleasure, Lucas explained, “Pleasure is fun, it’s great, but you can’t keep it going forever.”

During the interview, Lucas connected this to the fatal flaw of the Sith, wherein they only crave more and more power and will never be satisfied. Ultimately, this spells their own destruction; this is the very reason the Sith apprentice will always seek to overthrow the master. This message extends far beyond Star Wars, though, and is a valuable lesson for anyone, as it’s all too easy to slip into a pattern of wanting the next greatest thing.

7

“Emotional Intelligence Is More Important In The Success Of A Person Than Their Intellectual Intelligence”

This Perspective Is A Fascinating Commentary On Star Wars’ Jedi

In a 2004 Charlie Rose interview, George Lucas shared his insights on the differences between emotional and intellectual intelligence, which remains a prevalent discussion today. During the conversation, Lucas stated, “Emotional intelligence is more important in the success of a person than their intellectual intelligence.” This perspective is particularly interesting, as it highlights success as the metric comparing the two.

On the one hand, this is profound in a broader societal sense, as this point of view strays from the norm. However, it is also a fascinating reflection on Star Wars. Specifically, this perspective raises questions about why certain Jedi were ‘successful’ or survived and others were not or did not. Arguably, the fates of Star Wars’ Jedi support Lucas’ assertion about the importance of emotional intelligence; the more compassionate Jedi such as Obi-Wan Kenobi were among the survivors of Order 66, for example, while colder yet wiser Jedi like Mace Windu fell early in the attack.

6

“There’s Always This Little Part In You That’s Saying ‘What Am I Doing?'”

George Lucas’ Understanding Of Anakin Skywalker Is Perfect

In addition to having brilliant insights on a larger scale, George Lucas is of course the expert on Star Wars, especially the original and prequel trilogies. For this reason, many of Lucas’ best quotes also reveal fascinating details about the franchise’s characters and concepts. This was certainly the case in a clip posted by Ultimate Star Wars on YouTube, showing Lucas speaking to Hayden Christensen on the set of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith.

In the video, Lucas explains to Christensen, “There’s always this little part in you that’s saying, ‘What am I doing?'” Not only is this highly reminiscent of Anakin’s heartbreaking “What have I done?” line after he chooses Palpatine’s side over Mace Windu’s, but also, it is a very revealing detail regarding Anakin’s conflict. From Lucas’ perspective, Anakin never lost that small inner voice that knew right from wrong, confirming there really was good in him all along.

5

“Who Do You Think The Heroes Are In These Stories?”

George Lucas Made It Clear That Star Wars Women Are Essential

As reported in Variety, at the Cannes Film Festival this year, George Lucas responded to the criticism that Star Wars has mostly consisted of white men. It’s difficult to argue that this wasn’t the case early on, as the leading cast members of the prequel and original trilogies largely speak for themselves. However, while that may be, it doesn’t negate how pivotal the women of Star Wars have been from the very beginning.

Lucas defended that very point in his response, asking, “Who do you think the heroes are in these stories?” This was a wonderful moment of acknowledgment for the franchise’s powerful female characters, most notably Princess Leia, who Lucas named specifically. However, characters like Padmé and Ahsoka have proven to be equally influential women in Star Wars.

4

“Education Is The Single Most Important Job Of The Human Race”

Star Wars Is For Kids—And That’s For Good Reason

George Lucas has repeatedly said that Star Wars is made for children, but that doesn’t mean the concepts are simple or unimportant; in fact, it’s quite the opposite. Star Wars has incredibly meaningful messages that truly are a form of education. This makes considerable sense in light of George Lucas’ heavy emphasis on the importance of educating future generations.

In fact, Lucas has made this a key aspect of his work, even establishing his own foundation dedicated to improving children’s education. According to Edutopia, George Lucas’ educational foundation, Lucas said, “Education is the single most important job of the human race.” This is beautifully worded, but it also rings true for Star Wars. Many of the franchise’s moments, from political turmoil to moral quandaries, ask much larger, more pressing questions than many would expect from a children’s movie.

3

“One Is Selfless, One Is Selfish, And You Want To Keep Them In Balance”

George Lucas’ Distinction Between The Dark And The Light Side Is Key

Like George Lucas’ insightful explanation of Anakin Skywalker’s inner turmoil, his definition of the Force was compelling and illuminating. In a video posted by Star Wars Coffee on YouTube, Lucas explained the nature of the Force, specifically identifying what separates the light side from the dark side. Speaking to a table of Star Wars writers, Dave Filoni among them, George Lucas explained, “One is selfless, one is selfish, and you want to keep them in balance.”

Currently, Mae and Osha in Star Wars: The Acolyte are a perfect representation of this divide between the light and dark side. As twins on opposite ends of the Force, they encapsulate each side, reinforcing this description by George Lucas himself; while Osha wants to be a Jedi and serve others, Mae thinks only of herself. It is also fascinating that this quote references balance, a notion that has been difficult to define in Star Wars.

2

“Art Is The Retelling Of Certain Themes In A New Light.”

Star Wars Masterfully Reinforces Its Core Themes With Brand-New Stories

Poetically, in a 1988 interview with the New York Times, George Lucas explained, “Art is the retelling of certain themes in a new light.” This has certainly proven true in Star Wars, which has supported the same messages while creating brand-new content for decades. Indeed, Star Wars has proven time and again that anyone, no matter the crimes they’ve committed and the harm they’ve caused, can choose a different path and be redeemed.

While this is one of the most significant messages of Star Wars, the franchise has repeated many other themes as well. The importance of standing up for what is right even in the face of failure was made clear in both the original trilogy with the Empire and in the sequel trilogy with the First Order, and the themes of family, loyalty, bravery, and destiny have always been at the forefront of the franchise. This eloquent explanation by George Lucas is therefore an excellent description of how Star Wars has continued to build upon its legacy for all these years.

1

“It’s Like Poetry; They Rhyme”

One Of George Lucas’ Most Famous Quotes Perfectly Encapsulates Star Wars

One of George Lucas’ most famous descriptions of Star Wars appeared in a video many years ago, and it perfectly explains how the franchise is structured. As shown in a clip posted by TheSWHolidaySpecial on YouTube, Lucas explained that Star Wars is “like poetry” in that it rhymes. While that may at first seem a bit obscure, Lucas is referring to the many parallels that span the full Star Wars franchise.

Indeed, Star Wars is built upon these parallels or ‘rhymes,’ and it continues to incorporate them even with its newest content, drawing connections to characters like Anakin and Luke Skywalker generations before they were born. As nostalgia is a key component of the Star Wars franchise, this will no doubt persist, continuing to highlight how wise and apt George Lucas’ description was. Truly, even among the best George Lucas quotes, this explanation of Star Wars is the very best, revealing how the franchise continues to pull its many shows and movies together.